Local property owners may be asked to shield dumpsters

Local officials in Port Clinton are looking into the issue of dumpsters left out in the open to public view, such as this one on the south side of Second Street in the heart of the downtown district.(Photo: Jon Stinchcomb/News Herald)

PORT CLINTON - Though small parts of the city have been under ankle-deep water seemingly on a near-daily basis this summer season due to historic high lake levels, local officials are still continuing legislative efforts to make Port Clinton as inviting as possible to visitors.

The city’s laws, rules and ordinances committee is looking into the issue of overt dumpsters at commercial properties, something officials said they have been hearing complaints about from other property owners.

The committee is considering an ordinance that would require dumpsters on commercial properties in the city to be shielded from public view, as Port Clinton has no such local law in place at this time, leading to the issues recently raised to officials.

As it stands, today there are areas in town where large dumpsters sit out in the open, generally accompanied by an unpleasant odor, not far from sidewalks and city streets.

Officials described those instances as “hideous,” “embarrassing” and “wrong.”

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The smell from dumpsters left out in the open like this one near Madison Street can be unpleasant to visiting patrons of local businesses.(Photo: Jon Stinchcomb/News Herald)

But it is a very fixable problem, according to members of the committee, as they said it is fortunate that most people are on board with the idea of having dumpsters shielded from view.

“You don’t want your trash out there,” said city councilwoman Beth Gillman, chair of the laws, rules and ordinances committee.

Gillman referenced a few businesses that already have some kind of shielding in place. For example, McDonald’s and other local restaurants utilize a sort of privacy fencing around their dumpsters, she said.

The city has been proactive on this issue when potential new businesses present their proposals and work with local officials.

“We required it of Sheppard’s Crossing,” said Olen Martin, Port Clinton’s safety-service director regarding dumpster shielding. “With their building, when their dumpsters go there, their plan had that in it.”

The ordinance the committee is now considering would make it a requirement for all dumpsters on commercial properties within the city to be shielded and outline a specific set of criteria for doing so.

That criteria have not yet been established, as the committee’s research into the matter is still in the early stages, however, it would likely primarily require that those dumpsters simply not be visible from the street by the public.

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The ordinance the committee is now considering would potentially make it a requirement for all dumpsters on commercial properties within the city to be shielded and outline a specific set of criteria for doing so.(Photo: Jon Stinchcomb/News Herald)

It also is likely address the placement of dumpsters, as that can have a potential impact on first responders. For example, if a large fire truck needs to maneuver through a tight space to reach a structure, the placement of large dumpsters should not be causing further impediment, according to officials.

Main Street Port Clinton, a local nonprofit organization with the mission of revitalizing the city’s historic downtown district, is currently looking into the potential creation of a “special improvement district.”

According to Main Street, a special improvement district, or SID, could provide downtown property owners funding opportunities for services that would bring economic enhancement to the area, and could focus on customized local needs.

A few examples of those services that the special improvement district could potentially enable the cost-sharing of is power-washing and sweeping of sidewalks; benches, planters and trash containers; removal of weeds and litter; or even mayfly removal.

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The city’s laws, rules and ordinances committee is looking into the issue of overt dumpsters at commercial properties, something officials said they have been hearing complaints about from other property owners.(Photo: Jon Stinchcomb/News Herald)